Brittney “Bert” Woodrum is climbing all 58 of Colorado’s fourteeners in an effort to raise awareness and funding for disaster relief worldwide through ShelterBox. She is completing this life-long task in a single summer, while working on a master’s degree in humanitarian assistance at DU.

Woodrum began her journey in July with Pikes Peak, but her passion for fundraising has long been a part of her life. 

“I have done a number of physical challenges in the past as a way to raise money and awareness about causes I am passionate about,” said Woodrum. “It wasn’t a question about if, but when I began this.”

Her inspiration for The Fourteeners Project came from her fellow ShelterBox ambassadors’ charity endeavors as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic spurred Woodrum to pursue a goal she thought was reserved for after graduation. 

“When COVID-19 started, we were all sitting at home twiddling our thumbs. That was very hard for me, especially since I am focused on humanitarian assistance. I was seeing this growing need in the humanitarian world. Refugees and disasters were barely even registering as blips on our radar anymore.” said Woodrum. “I began thinking, ‘There has got to be something I can do.’”

Before the pandemic, Woodrum had never climbed a fourteener. But despite her inexperience, she dropped everything in her life to help those in need. She began living in her car and eating pre-packaged dehydrated meals in order to keep up with her ambitious goal. This lifestyle would be a strain on most individuals, but Woodrum loves it.

“Sometimes I feel bad because I’m having the best time of my life out here, whereas a lot of people are stuck at home [and] really miserable,” said Woodrum. “Every person is different. Some people might look at this experience and be like, ‘I would never want to do that in my life.’ But for me, I feel like my soul is overflowing every single day.”

Her adventure has led to more than just disaster relief and scenic vistas. She has found a passion for bringing people who wouldn’t normally hike up the mountain.

“I have this friend from DU. She is 26 years old, and she has lived in Colorado all her life. But she had never climbed a fourteener and never thought she could,” said Woodrum. “I think it [taking someone along] makes people feel like, ‘Yeah, I can. I can do it too.’ That’s been another layer of the project that I didn’t foresee, but it’s been so rewarding.”

Woodrum has raised over $60,000, more than half of her $100,000 goal. This money will be deployed by ShelterBox all around the world in places like Myanmar, where Woodrum has strong ties. 

“A place that’s very dear to my heart is Myanmar. I spent a little over a year there, and I’ve actually received a Boren Fellowship to return,” said Woodrum. “One of the largest humanitarian crises in the world is currently happening on the borders of Myanmar. The Rohingya—the Muslim minority group—is being pushed out into Bangladesh, where you have one of the largest refugee camps in the world. No one is talking about it, so I knew I had to do something.”

Woodrum’s long and arduous campaign ends on Sept. 26 when she climbs Pikes Peak once again. In celebration, she is hosting “Go VERT With BERT,” an event where she asks participants to get out and hike. 

“I would love it if people would follow my project on Facebook. On that day, no matter where they are, I’m trying to challenge people to get outside and post photos of themselves and their friends going for a little hike,” said Woodrum. “It doesn’t have to be a fourteener because it’s about getting out there and enjoying the day.”

You can support Woodrum by liking her Facebook page (@The14ersProject) or by donating via this link.